Springtime in Eugene

Brice and I enjoyed a long weekend in Eugene for his birthday. While that might not be the most common location for a vacation weekend, we love it for a casual getaway that is easy to get to, with some fun activities and a beautiful place to stay.

Here is what we were up to and what we recommend!

Where to Stay:

We have become total regulars at the Augusta House, an incredible B&B. We have been there at least once a year since 2010, when Brice surprised me with a trip there for our first wedding anniversary. It was opened by Marilyn Augusta, who is a semi-retired award-winning interior designer. So needless to say, it is beautiful and luxurious (and as far from one of those kitschy, questionable B&Bs as you can get). There are only two suites, so it is an intimate and quiet location.

Marilyn is such a thoughtful host. Knowing that it was Brice’s birthday and how much he loves chocolate chip cookies, we were greeted with a batch of cookies in our room when we arrived back from dinner our first night.

With that kind of service, plus a hot tub, big screen TV, grill that is free to use on the large deck and cozy rooms with high-quality linens, you won’t want to leave.

And of course, as with any B&B, the breakfast is just as important as the rest of the house. Marilyn does not skimp. The meal starts off with a freshly baked muffin, orange juice and coffee or tea (she now knows our preferences and just makes up some black tea as we aren’t coffee people!). You might also get some yogurt and fresh fruit. Next is the entree which varies every day.

 

This time around we enjoyed fluffy French Toast topped with blackberries and hazelnuts, with a side of bacon and poached eggs; and a scrumptious Egg-in-a-Nest, a lightly fried egg inside a slice of thick Texas toast, alongside a hash of asparagus, onions and bacon. No matter what, her breakfasts are a great way to get the day started and will keep you full well into the afternoon!

Where to Eat and Drink: 

The Bier Stein: This is Brice’s favorite place, perhaps anywhere, and was about 90% of the reason he wanted to go to Eugene. It has almost 30 beers and ciders on tap. They use an electronic system called DigitalPour to track all of their beers, so you can see what’s been just tapped and how much they have left. Once its out, it gets replaced with a different brewery or flavor.

If you want even more variety, they have an incredibly impressive array of beers and ciders in the refrigerated cases. You can purchase whatever bottle you’d like and enjoy it inside their large sit-down space or take it to go. That means, if you’re like us, and stay there for 6 hours straight, you can try something new for each drink!

One of the other awesome things about Bier Stein? You can order straight from your smartphone. Seriously, it is so great and convenient, especially when there is a long line like there was on Saturday night.

Plus the food is real good and not just for a bar. Their spinach salad and sandwiches are excellent. But our favorite is by far the giant soft pretzel which is served warm with their creamy beer cheese soup for dipping.

And yes, we did in fact go here two nights in a row. But hey, if that’s 90% of the reason we went down there, why not, right? Obviously we are real into this place.

Red Wagon Creamery: Being an Instagram fiend like I am, I kept seeing Red Wagon’s name pop up, particularly on Jami Curl’s page. Hand crafted, uniquely flavored ice cream? Count me in. {PS – social media marketing for the win} We went with a half-pint of their Hail to the Bee. Clover honey from Eugene’s GloryBee is used to make a honey ice cream base then swirled with house made honeycomb toffee and 70% cacao chocolate stracciatella. Oh man, was it good. I have since learned you can purchase their ice cream at Zupan’s and FoodFront in Portland – both amazing and dangerous news!

Admittedly, we didn’t make it to any of these places on this trip, but I do love these three so if you’re looking for more food while in Eugene, consider these.

Marche: Set inside the 5th Street Market, Marche prepares farmers market-inspired cuisine featuring fresh, seasonal dishes, often using their wood-fired oven.

Party Downtown: Perfect for a date night out, this is a fun, farm-to-table restaurant right next to Red Wagon. They serve locally sourced, mostly organic small plates, burgers, and great sides.

Sweet Life Desserts: Cakes, pastries and desserts all made from scratch. This was where Brice took me on our first date, so it still holds a special place in my heart 🙂

What Else to Do:

Other than a lot of eating and drinking, we decided to be a little active on our trip too. The weather turned out to be really lovely on Sunday so after a large breakfast at the B&B and a short nap (hey, it was vacation!), we decided to hike up Spencer’s Butte. It is a great 6-mile round-trip hike right in town. After a few miles along the trail through green shade-covered forest, the trees make way to a rocky, steep climb to the top, where you get a 360 degree view of the valley. On a clear day like we got, you can see all the way out to the mountains in the Coastal Range and the Cascades.

On the Way Home:

I was really excited that our trip coincidentally matched up with the dates of the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. I had seen so many gorgeous photos of this annual flower festival in Woodburn and had really been wanting to go. Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a trip all by itself, it was a perfect stop on the way home from Eugene. (Should you not have a trip to Eugene on the books, maybe pair it with a tour to the outlet mall!)

As we took Monday off, it was a great day for it, as I hear the weekends get real crowded. So be prepared for that or show up early!